Donating to a local thrift store is a great way to get rid of some of your unwanted items while also helping various charities.
Most people donate outdated décor or gently used clothing that they no longer want or need.
But a Goodwill store in Virginia received one creepy surprise inside a donation box.
Virginia Goodwill gets a live snake with a customer donation
A Goodwill store in Stafford, Virginia just got the surprise donation of a lifetime.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office posted on Instagram that a Goodwill employee found a four-foot-long snake inside a box of donated items.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, “with the rise in temperatures recently everyone is trying to beat the heat, even the local wildlife. Luckily, the Captain of Animal Control, Captain J.A. Bice, was nearby and responded quicker than any Seeker could.”
“This four-foot-long basilisk was unearthed yesterday by an employee of Goodwill, located at 72 Doc Stone Road, in a box of donated books,” they added.
The office added that the animal control officer had no problems safely removing the snake by “using his powers of persuasion, and a bit of Parseltongue.”
The clever post was making references to the popular Harry Potter book and movie series where a language called Parseltongue is used to communicate with snakes.
Fortunately, no one was injured and the snake was able to be safely removed and put back into the wild.
“No snakes, employees, or deputies were harmed during the incident,” the SCSO said in a press release.
No one is exactly sure just how the black snake managed to get into the person’s donation box.
The animal was identified as a black racer, which is a species of snake considered to be mostly harmless to humans and pets.
According to the Virginia Herpetological Society, black racers are a type of snake that is common and native to Virginia.
Stafford Sheriff officials had a little bit of fun with the incident by calling the snake a “Slytherin Suspect,” which is another reference to Harry Potter.
Goodwill says no snakes are allowed
Several media outlets have reached out to Goodwill for comment on the incident, but they have not received a response at the time of publishing.
However, there are certain things that Goodwill stores are very clear about when it comes to what can and cannot be donated.
Although it’s still not clear how the reptile got into the box, live snakes (and any live animals) are not accepted at Goodwill stores.
Other prohibited items include anything flammable, firearms, old televisions, mattresses, box springs, broken furniture, and any chemical substances.
Patrons also can’t donate medical devices, cribs, car seats, pianos, or food.
Patriot Political will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
